Knicks vs 76ers Match Player Stats, Timeline, Records & Predictions

Nobody would have guessed that a regular-season Knicks vs 76ers game in October could feel like a playoff rematch. Then Opening Night happened. The Knicks hung their first championship banner in 53 years, handed out rings, and watched a rebuilt Philadelphia roster walk out of Madison Square Garden with a 106-100 win. The sequel arrives on Friday, October 30, 2026, at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, with tip-off set for 7:30 p.m. ET on Prime Video. If you are wondering where to watch Knicks vs 76ers, Prime Video has the national broadcast.

This one counts for more than a normal November-style game, too. It is part of the Emirates NBA Cup, so the result matters for group standings as well as bragging rights. New York enters as the reigning champion with an 0-1 record, while Philadelphia sits at 1-0 behind LeBron James, Jaylen Brown, Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe. Each team has four games to play before Friday, so those records will move.

So here is everything you need before tip-off: where each team stands, the full Knicks vs 76ers timeline going back to the Syracuse Nationals days, a breakdown of the last meeting, the Knicks vs 76ers match player stats that matter, injury news, the betting angle, and a final score prediction. If you are tracking the Knicks vs 76ers stats all season, this game is a good place to start, because both teams still have plenty to prove.

New York Knicks: Champions With Something to Fix

The Knicks finished the 2025-26 regular season at 53-29, then turned into a different animal in the playoffs. They won 15 of their final 16 games, swept Philadelphia in the second round, and beat the San Antonio Spurs in five games in the NBA Finals. It was the franchise’s third title, and the first since 1973. Jalen Brunson averaged 28.4 points per game in those playoffs and was named the postseason MVP.

Opening Night was a reminder that champions do not get a free pass. Brunson scored 21 points but needed 19 shots to get 6 field goals, and the Knicks shot 37.2 percent as a team. They led 58-54 at halftime, then scored just 18 points in the third quarter while Philadelphia went on an 11-0 run to close the period. Head coach Mike Brown said afterward that relying on ring-night energy would not be enough to carry the team.

What Makes the Knicks Tick

• Jalen Brunson is the engine. He took all three of New York’s crunch-time shots on Opening Night, and he will keep taking them
• Karl-Anthony Towns gives the Knicks a true big who can stretch the floor, and he went 3-of-4 from three in the opener on the way to 19 points and 12 rebounds
• Andre Drummond is the surprise rebounding force off the bench, pulling down 14 boards with seven on the offensive glass
• Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby and Josh Hart provide wing defense and shot-making, even though Bridges (2-of-8) and Anunoby (3-of-12) both struggled against Philadelphia
• The Knicks created 28 second-chance points, a number that usually wins games on its own

Knicks Snapshot

Detail	New York Knicks
Conference	Eastern
Head coach	Mike Brown
Starting five	Brunson, Bridges, Hart, Anunoby, Towns
Home court	Madison Square Garden
2025-26 record	53-29, NBA champions
2026-27 results	Lost to 76ers 106-100 (Oct. 20)
Next game	At Boston Celtics, Friday, Oct. 23
Injury notes	No stars listed on the Opening Night report; Josh Hart dealt with an ankle issue in the lead-up and played

An 0-1 record is nothing to panic about in October. The Knicks play at Boston on October 23, host Orlando on October 25, host Detroit on October 27 and visit Chicago on October 28 before the trip to Philadelphia, so the standings will look very different by Friday.

Philadelphia 76ers: The Most Interesting Roster in the East

Philadelphia’s summer was louder than anyone else’s. The 76ers signed LeBron James in free agency, acquired five-time All-Star Jaylen Brown from Boston, and kept Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe in a new-look starting five. It is a lot of star power for a team that went 45-37 last season, needed the play-in, and then got swept in the second round. The 76ers have not advanced past the second round since 2001.

Opening Night was a strong first impression. Maxey led all scorers with 28 points, Brown added 19 points, eight rebounds and six assists, and James started his record 24th NBA season with 14 points, nine rebounds and seven assists. Philadelphia trailed by as many as 10 in the second half, then rallied behind defense and 28 assists against just 12 turnovers. The new stars looked like they were still figuring each other out, but the results were already there.

What Makes the 76ers Tick

• Tyrese Maxey is the heartbeat of the offense. He scored 28, added five assists, and finished with three steals and three blocks
• Joel Embiid posted 13 points, 11 rebounds, six assists, two steals and three blocks despite going 4-of-15 from the field
• LeBron James is the connector, a point-forward who can run the offense when Embiid sits
• Jaylen Brown gives Philadelphia a physical wing scorer, and he finished with a team-best plus-17 in the opener
• Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Anfernee Simons give the bench real shooting, with 10 and 13 points respectively against New York

76ers Snapshot

Detail	Philadelphia 76ers
Conference	Eastern
Head coach	Nick Nurse
Starting five	James, Embiid, Brown, Maxey, Edgecombe
Home court	Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia
2025-26 record	45-37, lost to Knicks 4-0 in the second round
2026-27 results	Beat Knicks 106-100 (Oct. 20)
Next game	Vs. Cleveland Cavaliers, Thursday, Oct. 22
Injury notes	Ariel Hukporti (Achilles), Dominick Barlow and Tacko Fall were out on Opening Night; Simons, Adem Bona and Dean Wade were questionable

The weak spot is obvious. With Hukporti, a former Knick, out after rupturing his Achilles, and Barlow sidelined, Philadelphia is thin up front. If Embiid misses time, LeBron James is going to spend a lot of minutes at the five, which is exactly what happened for the last 2:39 of the first half on Opening Night. Philadelphia plays Cleveland, Milwaukee and Detroit at home and visits Indiana before Friday.

NBA Schedule This Week

Friday’s game closes out a busy week for both teams. Philadelphia opens its home schedule on Thursday, while New York heads to Boston on Friday night for one of the league’s oldest rivalries. By the time the Knicks vs 76ers rematch arrives, each team will have played four more games, so injuries and early-season rotations may look different.

Team	Next Matchup	Date	Location
76ers	Vs. Cleveland Cavaliers	Thursday, Oct. 22	Philadelphia, PA
Knicks	At Boston Celtics	Friday, Oct. 23	Boston, MA
76ers	Vs. Milwaukee Bucks	Saturday, Oct. 24	Philadelphia, PA
Knicks	Vs. Orlando Magic	Sunday, Oct. 25	New York, NY
Both	Knicks at 76ers (NBA Cup)	Friday, Oct. 30 (7:30 p.m. ET)	Philadelphia, PA

Head-to-Head History: The Full Knicks vs 76ers Timeline

This is one of the older rivalries in basketball. The Knicks and the Syracuse Nationals, who became the 76ers in 1963, have been playing each other since the league’s early days, and the two franchises have now met 11 times in the playoffs. The teams have played roughly 480 regular-season games, with Philadelphia holding the edge at around 266-214. The playoff results, though, have swung back and forth for decades.

Year	Event	Winner	Notes
1968	East semifinals	76ers	Philadelphia won the series in six games
1978	East semifinals	76ers	A 4-0 sweep
1983	East semifinals	76ers	Another 4-0 sweep, on the way to Julius Erving and Moses Malone’s title
1989	First round	Knicks	A 3-0 sweep, the Knicks’ first series win in five years
2024	First round	Knicks	Knicks won 4-2; Brunson scored 41 in the Game 6 clincher
2026	East semifinals	Knicks	A 4-0 sweep, ending with a 144-114 blowout
Oct. 5, 2026	Preseason	76ers	Philadelphia won 120-97 at home
Oct. 20, 2026	Opening Night	76ers	Philadelphia won 106-100 at Madison Square Garden

A Few Things Worth Pointing Out

• The Knicks have won each of the last three playoff series between the teams: 1989, 2024 and 2026
• New York’s 2026 sweep was its first best-of-seven sweep since the 1999 East semifinals against Atlanta
• The Knicks won those four games by an average of just over 22 points
• After last season’s sweep, the Knicks lead the all-time playoff game count 24-23
• The Knicks do not visit Philadelphia again until February 11, 2027

Knickerbockers vs Founding Fathers: A Colonial Name Story

There is a fun side note hiding behind this matchup that has nothing to do with the standings. The names on the jerseys are both pieces of early American history. The Knickerbockers took their name from the Dutch settlers of New York, a nickname popularized by Washington Irving’s fictional historian Diedrich Knickerbocker. The 76ers are named for 1776, the year the Declaration of Independence was signed in Philadelphia.

So every Knicks vs 76ers game is, in a roundabout way, a battle between New Amsterdam and the birthplace of American independence. Nobody in the NBA schedule office was thinking about colonial history when they put this game on Friday night, but it makes for a nice coincidence. In the end, this rivalry has always been decided by more ordinary things, like Embiid’s shooting night or Brunson’s late-game touch.

Three Eras of the Rivalry

Breaking the Knicks vs 76ers timeline into eras makes the story easier to follow.

Era 1: The Early Years (1950-1976). The Syracuse Nationals and Knicks met in the playoffs repeatedly in the 1950s, with Syracuse generally holding the upper hand. After the Nationals moved to Philadelphia and became the 76ers in 1963, the rivalry stayed alive, and the Sixers beat the Knicks in six games in the 1968 East semifinals.

Era 2: Doctor J, Moses and Patrick (1977-1989). Philadelphia swept New York in 1978 and 1983, and the 1983 team went on to win the championship. Then the Knicks got revenge in 1989, sweeping the 76ers in the first round behind Patrick Ewing. After that, the two teams did not meet in the playoffs again for 35 years.

Era 3: The Brunson Era (2024-Present). The rivalry came roaring back in 2024, when the Knicks beat the 76ers in six games with Brunson scoring 41 in the clincher and Embiid scoring 39 in defeat. Two years later, New York swept Philadelphia on its way to the title. Now the 76ers have rebuilt around James and Brown, and the rivalry feels like it has another chapter coming.

The Last Time These Two Teams Met: 76ers 106, Knicks 100 (Oct. 20, 2026)

Friday’s game is the second chapter of a story that began just nine days ago, so the Opening Night result is the best snapshot of how this series looks right now. New York led 25-23 after one quarter and 58-54 at halftime, powered by 15 first-half points from Brunson and 10 from Drummond. Maxey had 16 at the break for Philadelphia.

Then the third quarter changed everything. The 76ers outscored the Knicks 29-18, closing the period with an 11-0 run, and Brown scored 10 of his points in that stretch. New York cut it to 96-95 on a Towns three, but Embiid answered with a three of his own. Maxey’s steal and dunk made it 104-98 with 1:52 left, and James sealed it at the free-throw line.

Scoring Leaders

• Tyrese Maxey (PHI): 28 points on 9-of-19 shooting
• Jalen Brunson (NYK): 21 points, 6-of-19 from the field, 8-of-8 at the line
• Karl-Anthony Towns (NYK): 19 points on 6-of-9 shooting
• Jaylen Brown (PHI): 19 points, eight rebounds, six assists

Rebounding and Playmaking Leaders

• Andre Drummond (NYK): 14 rebounds, seven of them offensive, plus 12 points
• Karl-Anthony Towns (NYK): 12 rebounds
• Joel Embiid (PHI): 11 rebounds, six assists and three blocks
• LeBron James (PHI): 14 points, nine rebounds, seven assists

Philadelphia won the turnover and transition battle, scoring 24 fast-break points to New York’s 16 and 22 points off turnovers to New York’s 18. The Knicks won the glass and the second-chance battle (28-7), but they shot 11-of-33 from three and 37.2 percent overall. That kind of night usually does not repeat itself.

Where Both Teams Stand Entering Friday’s Game

One game into the season, the numbers tell the story of two teams that are still learning who they are. Philadelphia leaned on defense and ball movement, while New York leaned on offensive rebounds and Brunson. Before looking at the table below, it is worth framing this Knicks vs 76ers match player stats snapshot simply: the team that shoots better from three and wins the turnover battle probably wins the game.

Stat (Opening Night)	New York Knicks	Philadelphia 76ers
Record	0-1	1-0
Points	100	106
Field goal percentage	37.2% (35-of-94)	41.6% (37-of-89)
Three-pointers	11-of-33 (33.3%)	11-of-40 (27.5%)
Free throws	19-of-27 (70.4%)	21-of-27 (77.8%)
Assists	21	28
Turnovers	15	12
Second-chance points	28	7
Fast-break points	16	24
Points in the paint	44	40
Bench points	32	23

The Knicks vs 76ers stats from the opener also show a clear contrast in style. The Knicks scored 44 points in the paint and got 14 offensive rebounds, while Philadelphia moved the ball for 28 assists and punished turnovers in transition. If the Knicks keep rebounding like that and their shooters regress upward, they will be dangerous. If Philadelphia keeps creating easy looks off defense, it will be hard to stop.

Best Top Players to Watch

Both rosters are loaded, so the Knicks vs 76ers matchup always comes down to which stars show up, and the early Knicks vs 76ers stats already say a lot about how they match up. The Knicks vs 76ers match player stats from Opening Night, plus last season’s playoff form, point to these names as the ones worth circling.

Jalen Brunson, PG, New York. The reigning playoff MVP averaged 28.4 points per game on the way to the title, and he scored 21 on Opening Night even on a poor shooting night. He will see double teams and blitzes in pick-and-roll, so how he reads Philadelphia’s defense is a huge factor.

Tyrese Maxey, PG, Philadelphia. He scored 28, played aggressive defense with three steals and three blocks, and looked like the best player on the floor in the second half. Maxey’s speed against the Knicks’ guards is one of the most important matchups of the game.

Joel Embiid, C, Philadelphia. The 76ers’ big man put together a double-double despite shooting 4-of-15, and he hit a big three late. He has also talked about winning All-Defensive honors. If he is healthy, he changes everything for Philadelphia on both ends.

LeBron James, F, Philadelphia. In his 24th season, he is a point-forward who rebounds, passes and closes. He finished with 14 points, nine rebounds and seven assists in his 76ers debut, and he even jawed with Knicks fans at the Garden.

Best Top Players to Watch

Jaylen Brown, G/F, Philadelphia. He picked up 19 points, eight rebounds and six assists and led all Philadelphia players with a plus-17 rating. His scoring in the third quarter swung the opener.

Karl-Anthony Towns, C, New York. He shot 6-of-9 for 19 points and grabbed 12 rebounds. The Knicks vs 76ers matchup in the frontcourt may be decided by whether Towns can punish Philadelphia’s lack of size.

OG Anunoby, F, New York. Anunoby will probably draw a tough assignment on Brown or James, and he was limited by five fouls in the opener. A better shooting night would help New York a lot.

Mikal Bridges, G/F, New York. Bridges had a rough opener, scoring four points on 2-of-8 shooting. He is a key wing defender and a three-point threat, and the Knicks need more from him.

Andre Drummond, C, New York. He recorded 14 rebounds and 12 points off the bench, and his offensive rebounding fueled 28 second-chance points. Philadelphia must keep him off the glass.

VJ Edgecombe, G, Philadelphia. The young guard is still finding his shots, with nine points on 4-of-10 in the opener, but his athleticism in transition is a real weapon.

Coaching Matchup: Brown vs. Nurse

Mike Brown and Nick Nurse are two of the more creative tacticians in the league. Brown guided the Knicks to a title, while Nurse has run Philadelphia’s offense since 2023 and now has the most star-heavy roster of his tenure.

Factor	New York (Brown)	Philadelphia (Nurse)
Last season	53-29, NBA champions	45-37, swept in the second round
Star power	Brunson, Towns, Bridges, Anunoby	James, Brown, Embiid, Maxey
Offensive identity	Brunson isolations, offensive rebounds, three-point shooting	Pick-and-roll, transition, ball movement
Defensive concern	Slowing Philadelphia’s transition game	Thin frontcourt depth
Program status	Defending champion	Retooled contender

Neither coach has much room for error on Friday.

Betting Angle: What the Odds Say

At the time of writing, the betting line for the October 30 NBA Cup game had not yet been posted. For Opening Night, the Knicks were favored by about five points as the healthy home team and defending champion, so Philadelphia covered easily by winning outright. Expect Friday’s line to be tight, with the home-court edge making this a much closer matchup on paper.

The Knicks vs 76ers stats on trends are worth watching too. New York beat Philadelphia in all four playoff games last season and by an average of more than 22 points, but the Opening Night loss and the 120-97 preseason loss in Philadelphia show that the new 76ers are a different team. Anyone leaning on Knicks vs 76ers match player stats before making a pick should weight three-point variance heavily, because the Knicks shot just 33.3 percent from deep and the 76ers shot 27.5 percent.

Prediction: Knicks 112, 76ers 109

This one has a close-game feel. Philadelphia has the better home-court situation and the star power, and its stars should only get more comfortable with each other over the next week. The 76ers also proved they can beat New York with defense and transition play.

But the Knicks are the champions for a reason. Their shooting was well below its usual level on Opening Night, they dominated the offensive glass, and Brunson is unlikely to shoot 6-of-19 twice in a row. Philadelphia’s thin frontcourt is also a real concern, especially if Embiid has any rest-related limitations or foul trouble.

The edge goes narrowly to New York because of its depth, its rebounding advantage and a likely bounce-back from three. A final score around 112-109 fits this matchup nicely. The full Knicks vs 76ers timeline is full of blowouts, but with the 76ers’ new stars in place, this one should come down to the final possession.

Where to Watch Knicks vs 76ers

• TV: Prime Video (national broadcast for the NBA Cup game)
• Tip-off: 7:30 p.m. ET at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia
• Radio: 97.5 The Fanatic in Philadelphia; SiriusXM Channel 81 (76ers) and Channel 86 (Knicks)
• Doors open: 6:30 p.m. ET
• Opening Night broadcast: NBC and Peacock, for fans who want to rewatch the first meeting

The short answer on where to watch Knicks vs 76ers is Prime Video, and the full postgame highlights will be posted on the NBA’s official channels shortly after the final buzzer.

What’s Next for Both Teams

Philadelphia is trying to build early momentum. A win Friday would give the 76ers a 2-0 head-to-head edge this season and a big early-season statement against the team that eliminated them. The 76ers visit Indiana on October 28, then host the Knicks, and later host Chicago on November 2 and Boston on November 10.

The Knicks vs 76ers stats from this stretch will be worth tracking, and New York has a tougher run of early games, with Boston, Orlando, Detroit and Chicago before this one, and then the Nets at home on November 2 and the Bulls at home on November 4. A win in Philadelphia would even the season series and send the Knicks into November with confidence. A loss would make it two straight against the same team, and Madison Square Garden will want answers when the rivalry returns to New York later this season.

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